Texas prepares to build barrier on Rio Grande River to stop irregular migrants

NEW YORK

Texas is preparing Saturday to build a barrier on the Rio Grande River on the border to prevent irregular migrants.

A tweet by the Texas Department of Public Safety featured pictures of large orange buoys being transported to be installed on the river in the town of Eagle Pass.

"The buoys have arrived and the installation of the marine barrier on the Rio Grande begins today," it said.

Gov. Greg Abbott noted the floating barriers could be moved if necessary and extended to multiple parts of the river.

But migrant rights advocates warn that the buoys may cause deaths in river crossings, while environmentalists objected to the measure on the grounds that barriers on the water surface will affect the flow of the river and natural life.

Four irregular migrants, including a baby, drowned in the first week of July trying to cross the Rio Grande in the Eagle Pass area.

Eagle Pass is at the top of Texas border crossing points where irregular immigrants enter illegally.

An estimated 270,000 irregular migrants entered the region in 2023, according to officials.